On July 10, the Education and Academia Stakeholder Group (EASG) hosted an official side event, focusing on the theme "Building Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions through Education." The event was moderated by Grant Kasowanjete (GCE), and featured presentations from Jacob Blasius (GSF), Vernor Muñoz (GCE), Israel Coelho (CLADE), and Katarina Popović (ICAE), who discussed the transformative power of education in fostering peace, democracy, and social justice. Key discussions revolved around innovative curriculum approaches, the role of open-source technologies, and the importance of education in promoting human rights and international understanding. An engaging panel discussion allowed participants to explore solutions for integrating peace education into various educational contexts. The event underscored the critical need for collaboration, increased financing and prioritization of education to break cycles of violence, empower marginalized communities, and promote sustainable peace.
Presentations from Katarina Popović (ICAE) and Israel Coelho (CLADE) can be found in The EASG Document Library.
The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2024 produced several significant outcomes. The most important formal outcome is the adoption of the Ministerial declaration. This declaration, adopted after extensive negotiations and some last-minute adjustments, includes new paragraphs. One of the two paragraphs put to a vote recognized that sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security. The other, newly proposed paragraph drew attention to the impact of unilateral coercive measures (economic sanctions) on poverty and food security, among other SDGs. The Ministerial Declaration adopted at the end of the Forum “identifies the current situation and challenges, alongside future actions and investment pathways needed to reinforce the 2030 Agenda and deliver on the SDGs.
These additions sparked further discussions, as some countries viewed them as an attempt to push narrow political agendas, while others deemed them necessary. Ultimately, the Ministerial declaration was adopted by the HLPF and later endorsed by ECOSOC, which was again a precedent in a procedure.
While the Declaration itself may not drastically alter the implementation dynamics, it remains a crucial outcome amidst the current focus on the Summit for the Future.
Another significant outcome was the recognition of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic era. The three years of disrupted in-person interactions, including two years of online HLPF meetings and one year of hybrid formats, have led to a loss of advocacy spaces and dynamics, particularly affecting civil society. This reduction in space for civil society engagement was a major concern, and efforts were made by the EASG and MGOs to address and counteract this trend
A prevailing sentiment at the HLPF was the recognition that the world is not on track to meet the SDGs, necessitating new measures and efforts beyond business as usual. This sense of urgency and the call for transformation were evident throughout many of the sessions and reflected in the forum's outcomes.
The Secretary-General's report remains also an important element of the HLPF 2024, and it is worth noted that it emphasized the critical role of education in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), presenting key data indicating that only about 17% of SDG targets are on track for achievement by 2030. This alarming statistic underscores the need for urgent action and heightened efforts, particularly as preparations for the Summit of the Future, the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, and the Second World Summit for Social Development are underway.
Education featured prominently in the Secretary-General’s report and in many HLPF sessions, despite not being under review this year. Significant efforts were made to ensure that education and lifelong learning are included in the draft for the Summit for the Future. While some progress has been made in compensating for the lost time and opportunities, there is still much work to be done to ensure that education remains an important role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
In summary, the HLPF 2024 outcomes reflect a clear understanding that the current trajectory is insufficient to achieve the SDGs by 2030. The forum highlighted the need for transformative actions and renewed efforts, particularly in education, to foster the implementation of the Agenda 2030.
Global Campaign for Education
Vernor Muñoz
International Council for Adult Education
Katarina Popović
Global Student Forum
Jacob Blasius
© 2024 Education & Academia Stakeholder Group